Throw-off or circuit-breaking switch for skeet heads



Nov. 13 1923.

'T. F. JOHNSON, JR

THROW-0FF OR CIRCUIT BREAKING SWITCH FOR SKEET HEADS Original Filed May13 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 .1 170/0260; r if,

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTOR N EY Nov. 13 1923.

- 1,473,960 T. F. JOHNSON. JR

THROW-OFF OR CIRCUIT BREAKING SWITCH FOR sKEE r HEADS Original Filed May13 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IFJohmofl, J 3

v INVE WITNESSES I WM ATTO RN EY son, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, resid- Patented Nov. 13, 1923.

PATENT OFFICEL ro unrnson ron'r JoHNsoN, Ja, or ATLANTA, enonera.

THROW OFI OR CIRCUIT-BREAKING SWITCH FOR SKEET HEADS.

Application filed May 13, 1920, Serial -No.- 381,135. Renewed May 2,1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that I, TOMLINSON F. JOHN- ing at Atlanta, in the county ofFulton and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Throw-Off orCircuit-Breaking Switch forSkeet Heads, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention refers to throw-off or circult breaking switchesparticularly adapted for use on high tension transmission lines formaintaining; the continuity ofthe circuit under normal conditions butcausing the breaking of the circuiton the passage of abnormally hightension or heavy currents to thereby protect translating devices fed bythe transmission line or lines.

The object of the invention is to provide an electro-Inagneticdevicewhich, under normal conditions, maintains the circuit closed but, 011the )assage of an abnormal current liable to do injuryto the translatingdevices, the circuit is ruptured and can only be re stored by anattendant.

Theinvention is susceptible of many cliffercnt embodiments of which butone is shown.

In accordance withthe invention the transmission line is assumed to feedtranslating devices in the form of transformers. The

- transmission line is assumed to be an overan electrojmagnetic releaseresponsive to a bniostpiito.

Y By the term skeet head is meant a structure,

such as defined 1n this e; se for breaking the 1 circuit, because of thepeculiar tone then emitted, simulating the high pitch tone of a. Tliisterm has bcwme. known commercially by such name; which has becomerecognized in the commercial art where the structure is in use. Thecircuit breaker is mounted on top of thecolumn of insulating materialvand includes a spring actuated circuit breaker, under the control ofnormal currents, so that on an abnormal rise inelectrical pressure thecircuit is ruptured and the translating device fed thereby is thusprotected. i

' The invention is intended for-high tension long distance transmissionlines Where the voltage may reach from 60,000 to 110,QOO

volts, or even higher, but should a super-- hlgh tension be mposed uponthe mam line the electro-magnetic device will be energized andrthecircuit to the transformer will be,

broken, thus protecting the latter. The circuit remains broken untilpurposely restored by an attendant.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding,however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformitywith the showing in the drawings, but may be changed and modified solong as such changes and modifica tions mark no material departure fromthe salient features of the invention as expressed in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a more or less diagrammatic View of the installation equippedwiththe invention.

Fig. 2 is a detailed view on a larger scale than Fig. l, and also partlyin section, showing a skeet head arrangement.

F 3 a view similar to Fig. 2 except that the locking means in thobranchconductor from the main conductor isshown-in the tln-own position. i

Referring to tl edrawings there is shown in Fig. 1 a main line conductor1 which may be considered as teri'ninating at a pole 2 to which the mainline conductor is mechanicallyconncctedthrough a string of insulators 3,such arrangement being the usual practice.

Connected to the main line conductor 1 is a branch conductor 4 of aflexible nature passingover a roller mounted in a block 6 fast on andsupported by the conductor 1. The branch conductor 4. is mechanicallyand directly connected to the conductor 1 by clips '7. Al the end, ofthe conduc or 1] emote from the clips l is a terminal 8.

There is also provided. an. elec former 9 of suitable type, w fem whichri a post 11 which may be f, .ned of l .ies of nested and. connectedinsulators l2 of a character common in high tens on electrictransmission lines. Usually the transmission systems are made up of aplurality of transmission conductors l, with an equalnumber oftransformers 9, but, as this particular arrangement is not material tothe invention, but one transmission. line lit) 1 and one transformer 9are shown in the drawings.

On top of post 11 there is an insulating member 13 carried by aconducting collar let on the uppermost one of the insulators Rising fromthe insulating member 13 there is a fork or yoke 15 from one side ofwhich there projects a shelf or bracket 16 on which there is mounted anclectro-magnet 17. The electro-magnet is provided. with an arma turecarried by an arm 18 pivotally connected to one leg of the yoke 15, thearm 18 being under the influence of a spring 19 tending to move it awayfrom the magnet 17.

Formed through the terminal portions of the legs of the yoke 15 arealined passages 20 indicated in dotted lines. Adapted to the passages 20is a rod or bar 21 long enough to span the space between the legs of theyoke and enter both passages and also to project for an appropriatedistance beyond that side of the yoke carrying the armature arm 18.Mounted on the rod 21 is a sleeve 22 made fast to the rod by a lock nut23 and extending into the sleeve 22 is an expansion spring 24; of alength to reach to an adjacent leg of theyoke 15, with the springsufiiciently open when uncompressed to force the sleeve 22 away from theyoke 15, thereby carrying the rod 21 from traversing relation to theyoke 15. The armature arm 18 is in the nature of a latch, being providedwith a nose 25 adapted to engage a coacting member 26 on the sleeve 22.

lVhen the parts are properly set current from the main line 1 passes byway of the conductor 4 and terminal 8 to the rod 21 and thus by way ofthe yoke 15 through the interior of the column 11 to the transformer 9,this last named arrangement being common to installations of thecharacter to which the invention relates and hence needs no special,illustration or description.

The elcctro-magnet 17 is fed by conductors 27, 28, one being connectedto the yoke 15 and the other to the collar 14, forming a path which maybe in series to the main course of current through the device to thetransformer 9.

iVhen the parts are properly set and cur rent is passing, the energydeveloped by the magnet 17 is insuflicient to draw the armature arm 18toward the magnet 1'? so to. the member 26 is held by the nose 25 insuch manner as to maintain the rod 21 in holding relation to theterminal 8. If, now, an abnormal current should occur on the main lineit will pass through the trans-- former 9, but before any harm can cometo the transformer the super-current passing through the electro-magnet17 causes the movement of the latch nose 25 out of the path of thecompanion member 26, thereby releasing the spring 2 1 to action andcausing it to move the rod 21 to a sufiicient extent to release theterminal 8.

The conductor 41 is under a normal strain because of the presence ot theweight 29 pendantly carried by a roller sustained by a portion of theconductor 1 between the clips 7 and the roller 5. As soon as theterminal 8 is released the weight 29 acts to move the terminal 8 towardthe block 6 well away from the skeet head and far beyond flashingdistance from the rod 21, wherefore, when the circuit breaker is openedthere is no possibility of producing an arc.

This invention has features in common with my application No. 381,134:,for a throw-oft circuit breaking switch for skeet heads. filed May 13,1920; and my application No. 361,526, for automatic circuit breakerattachment for high tension electric installation, tiled February 26,1920.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. The herein described circuit breakin means for installation betweenan overhead high tension transmission line and a translating devicelocated at a lower level, comprising a terminal adapted to be suspendedfrom the transmission line by a flexible conductor, a. slidable rodhaving a normal tendency in one direction and adapted to engage saidterminal, a support for the rod, and an electro-magnetically operatedmeans for holding the rod in opposition to its normal tendency andresponsive to abnormal currents on the transmission line to cause therelease of the rod and the consequent escape of theterminal to therebycause the breaking of the circuit.

2. The herein described circuit breaking means for installation betweenan overhead high tension transmission line and a translating device,comprising a terminal. adapted to be suspended from a flexibleconductor, a slidable member adapted to be carried by the translatingdevice and provided with means for imparting to it a normal tendency tomove in one direction, said terminal being constructed to be traversedby the said slid able member, and an electro-magnetically operatedlatch. for holding the slidable member against its normal tendencythereby holding said. terminal in position. to maintain the circuitclosed, said electromagnetically operated latch being inoperative tonormal. currents and responsive to abnormal currents on the line.

3. The herein described circuit breaking means for installation betweena high tension transmission line and a translating device, comprising ayoke adapted to be mounted on the translating device and provided withlegs for inclusion in the circuit thereto, a rod adapted to traverse thelegs of the yoke, a terminal adapted to be carried by a flexibleconductor and constructed to be traversed by said rod, electromagneticelectromagnetic means on the passage of means carried by the yoke andsupplied with an abnormal current therethrough to release current fromthe main line through the the rod to its normal tendency. flexibleconductor, means for imparting to In testimony, that I claim theforevoing 5 the rod a normal tendency to move toward as my own, I havehereto aflixed my s1gnaone position to release the terminal, and a,ture.

latch responsive to energy developed in the TOMLINSON FORT JOHNSON, JR.

